We are hearing that Senate-House appropriators are near agreement on a loan guarantee package that looks like this:

$25 billion for nukes
$10 billion for renewables
$10 billion for coal to liquids
$2 billion for uranium enrichment
$2 billion for coal to gas

While the $10 billion for renewables might be welcome, the package as a whole reflects misplaced priorities and a lost opportunity to address the climate crisis. Indeed, such an energy policy would make things far worse and make it much harder to reduce carbon emissions.

Throwing taxpayer money at wealthy utilities is not the way toward a sane, sustainable energy future.

*Please call your Senators and Representative today! No loan guarantees for nuclear power (nor coal!)! Tell them to reject the entire omnibus appropriations bill if it includes such loan guarantees.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

*If you’ve already called them this week, or can make an additional call, then call Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and tell him to stand up to the polluting energy interests and not to allow such a parting gift to retiring Senator Pete Domenici and the outgoing Bush Administration.

Senator Reid’s office is 202-224-3542.

If everyone receiving this message makes these calls, we can win this battle! (but please forward widely—and quickly—anyway)! And please act now.
Michael Mariotte, Nuclear Information and Resource Service
nirsnet@nirs.org; www.nirs.org
301-270-6477